We decided we better take some fun pictures of our furry staff of models and testers if we are going to make labels that are worthy of their hard work.   I’m not sure if we will use this set of photos or take more to create the label, but it sure was fun getting these shots this morning.

Looking especially cool in this shot, Mo makes those glasses work!

Mo was especially patient donning these cool shades to match his Shoo Bug! Scented Bandanna.  Shot after shot, he posed and held for me as I caught all of his handsome angles.

Then Usagi got in on the action.  We could not locate sunglasses small enough to fit her tiny head, but we suspect they wouldn’t have stayed on long anyway.

Lyla also deserves full credit for her best Blues Brother impersonation.  And again, Usagi invited herself into the photo.  Not that we mind.

This miracle shot is a framer for sure.  We’re pretty proud of this one since it required 2 dogs balancing sunglasses on their faces, a hyperactive Jack sitting still, and a Chihuahua to sit (while she knew there were some treat crumbs on the ground right near her, which explains that look on her face), and all of them simultaneously looking at the camera.  Amazing.  The stars must have been aligned just right this morning!  What a crew. 

We chose a Peanut Butter Carrot Oat Cake with a Peanut Butter Cream Cheese frosting – otherwise known as ‘Jack’s Fav.”   Jack is picky, so we know if he loves it, chances are good that Harrie and Wikkid will scarf it down like crazed birthday beasts!

Our Cake Recipe:

3 cups Flour, 2 cups Oats, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 2 cups water, 1 cup Natural Peanut Butter, 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil, 1 cup Shredded Carrots, 1/4 cup honey or molasses, 1 egg (or equal egg replacer), 1 tbsp Ground Flax Seeds, 1 tbsp Hemp Protein (or Hulled Hemp Seed)

Frosting:

1 block Plain Cream Cheese, 2 tbsp Peanut Butter

Directions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Add in the dry cake ingredients and mix thoroughly, then add the wet ingredients.  Batter should be a firm consistency almost like dough.  Coat a large cake pan in non-stick spray or use a muffin pan.  Cake mix makes a fairly large cake or 2 smaller cakes.  It was enough for our 4 big dogs to enjoy twice in addition to the large cake for Harrie & Wikkid.

Bake for 25-35 minutes.  Cake will not rise much and maintains a firm consistency when baked making it easy to cut and make shapes with (in our case a nice dog bone shape).

Let cake cool for at least an hour after baking, then add cream cheese frosting and decorate.  Substitute plain unsweetened yogurt for a less fatty frosting.  Refrigerate after icing and feed in small servings as a meal replacement or mid-day treat. 

Once it was cooked, it was time to test it with our expert panel of furry judges:

Success!  Jack consumed his cake with ninja speed, then made sure to clean up any remaining crumbs left by one careless chihuahua…

while that chihuahua searched…

… and shamelessly searched for much bigger crumbs.

Once the success of our cake was confirmed by four very sleepy dogs who drifted swiftly into happy cake comas sprawled across the living room rug, we knew it was time to ice and decorate the final product:

And it was a good cake for 2 very good dogs.

Happy 5th Birthday, Harrie & Wikkid!